Electric motor assembly



March 1, 1949. R. RBANER ELECTRI C MOTOR ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. l 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN vi Nro/ 1 HTTORNEY.

March 1, 1949. R. R. BANER 2,463,349l

Y ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSEMBLY Filed Jan, 2O, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

A T To RNEY.

Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to electric motor assemblies and particularly to arrangements of two or more such motors or generators in a single unit.

It is often desirable to provide an electric drive unit in a space insuiiicient to accommodate a motor of the requisite power if of standard design, and it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement whereby a maximum torque may be secured from an electric motor assembly at minimum axial length.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an assembly of two or more electric motors in a housing built up of a number of parts which may be readily manufactured and quickly assembled to provide units of the power required.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a multi-motor unit which may be readily assembled with accuracy and will retain the proper alignment of the various shafts and housing parts in assembled use.

Yet further objects and features of my invention will hereinafter appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that various changes, modifications or rearrangement of parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as intended to be dened by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the housing of an electric motor unit incorporating the novel features of my invention, taken on line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with some parts shown unsectioned for clearness.

Fig. 3 is a view on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a sleeve forming part of the mounting of each motor comprised in the unit.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the center member or drum of the housing, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 is a view of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrow, in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the front plate of the housing, taken on line 1 1 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of Fig. 7.

In the figures of the drawings the usual leads, hold down bolts and similar parts not forming part of my invention have been omitted for clearness.

The numeral I0 indicates generally a housing body arranged to contain three motors but it is to be understood that the housing may be arranged to contain any number of motors in excess oi two.

The housing body may be formed as a hollow ring shaped casting preferably having thickened rims II provided with a plurality of threaded bores I2 equally spaced around the rims.

A front end plate I3 is secured to the housing body by studs I4 engaging in bores I2 and is provided with a foot I4. The end plate I3 is machined to provide three equally spaced circular openings I5 surrounding a central bored boss. Openings I5 are each covered by a bearing cap I5', the bearing caps being provided with central bosses drilled to provide a motor shaft bearing. A front bearing sleeve I6 is threaded to receive a lock nut I8 on its outer end, and is fitted in the opening of the central boss of the iront end plate I3.

The opposite end of the housing is provided with a back end plate I9 secured by threaded studs 20 engaging in the threaded bores in the rear edge or rim II of the body. The plate I9 is formed with openings I9 aligned with the motors mounted in the housing as later described.

The end plate I9 is machined to receive a sleeve 22 drilled to act as a bearing for a driven shaft. The motor mounting sleeves 23 are provided with a mounting flange 23' drilled at 23a and cut out at 23h to fit tightly against the front bearing sleeve I6, and are clamped between the front plate I3 and member Ill by certain of the bolts I4. At the back end keys 24 projecting from sleeve 22 fit in keyways cut in the edge of each sleeve 23. A motor 25 is mounted in any suitable manner in each motor mounting sleeve 23 so that it is held against rotation therein, the motor shafts 26 extending through the bearing bosses in the front bearing caps I5. The motor shafts project rearwardly and are fitted with driving pinions 2'I. A driven shaft 28 extends through the bearings in the front bearing sleeve I6 and back bearing sleeve 22 and carries a gear 29 meshing with the driven shaft by pinions 2l.

A back gear cover and bearing plate 30 is secured to the back end plate I9 by threaded studs 3|. The back cover plate 30 is provided with bosses 32 drilled to act as back bearings for the motor shafts. The back cover plate 30 is also provided with a center boss 33 machined to receive a ball bearing 34 supporting the rear end of the driven shaft 28, which bearing is held in place by a cap 36.

In assembling the electric motor unit the motors are, or may be, first mounted in the mount- It will be seen from the preceding description;

that I have proved a novel and useful .multimotor assembly that may be readily"ands-in:Y expensively produced in a varietyfoffpowersiandr adapted to a Wide Variety of uses.

I claim:

1. An electric motor assembly comprisingga ring-like housing body member; a front end plate and a back end cover plate secured to opposite sides Aof saidlbodyk member; -`aligned motor bearingsand aligned bearingsfor a driven shaft formed in said end cover plate and supported: by said'front end plate; ,a pluralityof electric motors mounted in said housing and held against rotation therein Withthe motor shafts supportedl in said motor bearings ;'a driventshaft `rnounted'in the'bearings provided therefor; pinions Ysecured onzthe ends of the motor shafts and a vgear mounted on the-endof the drivenfshaft'and driven'by said pinions; an end plate secured to the back endof the housinganda bearingfsleeve supportedinsaid backend plate eifectiveI tolsupport said driven shaft.`

2. electric motor 'assembly'A coxnprisingwJ l,

ring-likev housing body membera frontend plate anda back end cover plateisecuredto "Opposite sides of'said body'member; aligned lmotor* bear# ings and aligned bearings for a driven `shaft formed in said'end'cover plate and'suppcrted on saidv front' endplate; the bearings for the driven shaft 'provided Iin the' back Lend cover-plate f' having 'rolling antif-riction elements arranged `therein; a plurality" of electric motors mounted -in'lsaid housing and held vagainst 'rotation'therein" with the motor shafts supportedin said` motorbear ings; a Adriven 'shaft mounted in thebearings provided therefor; lpinions secured lorrfthe ends ofthe 'motor shafts and a gear mounted on'y the end of :the driven shaft and drivenfby jsaid pinions; anendi plate securedto the'back ofjth'e housinguand' having an opening-therein enabling the' pinions on the motor shafts toproject'therethrough;and`a central opening therein;l and;a bearing sleevefor the driven' shaft'ttedinsaid central opening.l

3. -An `electric "motor "assembly comprising V'a housing body 4member;-a front end-plate and-'a back end plate secured to opposite sides of said body member; a driven shaft supported in bearings in said end plates; a plurality of tubular sleeves secured rigidly in position in the housing about said shaft by said end plates; electric motors mounted in said sleeves and held against rotation therein, a motor shaft rotated by each of said motors the motor shafts and driven shaft Yextending through the :backrend .plate and drivingconnections between', saidi'moton shafts and the driven shaft arranged outside said end plate.

4. An electric motor assembly comprising a housing body member; a front end plate and a back end plate secured to opposite sides of said fbodyxmember;l a driven shaft extending through said end plates; a plurality of tubular sleeves secured rigidly imposition in the housing about said .shaft by said end plates; electric motors mounted in said sleeves and held against rotation therein, amotor yshaft rotated by each of said motors the motor'A shafts and` driven `shaft extendingthroughtherback end plate; `and drivingconnections between-said motor shafts V,and th'edriven shaft; `and a cover end bearingplate secured tothe'back'end 4plate andgeifectiveto enclosel the-driving 'connections' and` support the outerf'ends'of'the motor andrdrivensha'fts:

5; "An electric motor assembly` lcomprising j a ring like housing body member; 'a front end plate and a back end cover plate'secured-to opposite sides-of saidbody member pairs Vofialigned motor bearings and valigned bearings fora vdrivenishaft supported in said end cover-plate and `by said vfront end plateyaplurality of electric motors mounted insaid 'housing and held Lagainst rotation-therein with-f the 'motor' shafts supported in `saidimotor bearings; a driven Vshaft mounted `in't-hebearings provided therefor; `and *driving `connections bettween Asaid motor "shafts -and lthe '-driven- "shaft effective to transmit the ytorque developed-bythe motors to` said-driven shaft, saidifront Yend plate being Iprovided with -apertures -to yallow access to the electric Y-Inotors 'and-in"'addition 'comprising caps removably-covering said apertures; the `front bearings of i' the aforesaid pairs of motor-'bearings being located-in-said-capsr l1agremialess;.CITED r- The following references are ,ofmecordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS.,

NumberV Name Date `3 907,176 Richardson Dec.22,"1908 9093057 Burke; 'Jan."5,f"1909 993352 Duntlev.` ;May30f, "1.911

1,292,592 Ferris Jan: 28; 1919 

